1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein pertains to a trench structure and particularly to a concrete block structure which utilizes a novel cap block design.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objectives of the Invention
Various foundation wall systems have been utilized in the past in which concrete footings are poured and block walls constructed having a top "cap" block. On-site or "field" forming of concrete structures and control of deflection in concrete forms is labor intensive and requires special care to control quality, resulting in high costs. On-site forms for concrete must be disposed of or be stripped, cleaned and oiled prior to their subsequent use which also requires additional labor and expense.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,115 an on-site poured concrete floor having a notch along the upper front edge for positioning a monolithic wall therein is shown. U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,134 also illustrates a foundation having an upper wall receiving notch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,542 demonstrates an earth retaining module which will interlock with similar modules for providing a stabilizing wall system.
None of the prior art systems described above demonstrate a structure having a block wall system as described herein and these previous systems fail to teach the structure and advantages of the present invention. The invention as described allows the construction of trench structures such as drains and floor chases without on-site concrete form work being required to provide the grating or cover notch, to tie the foundation wall to the floor slab, or to form the paving member, offering substantial reduction in construction costs as compared to prior construction techniques. Chases are generally used for enclosing electrical lines, pipes, hydraulic lines or the like.
Another purpose of the block herein is to eliminate the need for field forming of concrete to construct trench drains or floor chases.
Thus, with the present disadvantages and problems associated with prior art trench drains, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a precast cap block and trench block building system which is economical for contractors and building owners.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a cap block which can be adapted to many varieties of construction styles and techniques.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a cap block which includes a face section having an upper front edge notch and a support section affixed thereto for retaining a concrete slab or paving member such as asphalt or concrete thereon.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a top or cap block which can be readily formed from concrete and which includes a support section which is laterally offset to insure proper mating by a mason during wall construction.
It is yet still another objective of the present invention to provide a cap block which can be mass produced at a factory and conveniently delivered to a job site for use by a mason in constructing trenches, drains, and chases.
Another object of the invention herein is to provide a continuous straight edge for the termination of asphaltic or concrete pavements adjacent to trench drains or chases.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.